Refrigerant gas drying apparatus



Jan. 9, 1951 H. c. WAGNER 2,537,720

REFRIGERANT GAS DRYING APPARATUS Filed Sept. 24, 1949 COMPRESSORINVENTOR.

Patented Jan. 9, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE REFRIGERANT GAS DRYINGAirAitA'rUs Harry 0. Wagner, North Apollo, Pal Application September 24,1949', Serial N6. 117,630 5 Claims. (Cl. 62117-.85)

This invention relates, as indicated, to refrig- 'erant gas dryingapparatus, and, more particularly, to an improved arrangement of such appara'tus comprising a device which may be conveniently connected in thegas circulating conduit of a refrigerating system for removing moistureor entrained water from the gas circulating through the conduit.

One of the most common troubles encountered in refrigerating systemswherein a gas is employed as the refrigerant comes from moisturecollecting in the circulating conduit through which the gas flows.Collection of moisture in the system results in corrosion of the metalparts and reduces the operating efficiency of the system, If sufhcientWater collects in the system, it may be rendered inoperative.

When moisture has collected in a gas reiriger ating system, it isnecessary to take steps to remove such moisture in order to restore thechiciency of the system and to prevent deterioration of the parts of thesystem. For this purpose, the connection in the gas circulating conduitof cartridges containing dehydrating material has been proposed Thesecartridges have been connected in the circulating conduit in such mannerthat the gas is caused to flow through the dehydrating material in thecartridge. These cartridges have in many cases proven unsuccessfui duein part to the dehydrating material becoming clogged and thusinterfering with the normal operatin pressures of the system. Theclogging in many cases is caused by collection of the lubricant carriedby the refrigerant in the dehydrating material. The collection of thelubricant in the dehydrating'mater'ial in this manner presents anadditional objectionable feature in that its removal from the gas beingcirculated interferes with the lubrication of the compressor.

One of the principal objects of this invention is to provide an improveddrying apparatus which may be connected in the circulating conduit of agas refrigerating system for the purpose of removing moisture from thegas being circulated.

A further object is to provide an improved arrangement of such apparatuswhich will not clog or interfere with the circulation of gas, whichwillnot remove the lubricant from the gas being circulated, and whichissiinple in construction and may be manufactured andinstalled at aminimum cost.

To the accomplishment of the above and re= lated ends, there is provideda container in the nature of an elongated cylinder having dehydratingmaterial in its lower portion and an un- 2 obstructed chamber in itsupper portion. The upper portion of the cylinder is provided with a pairof openings for connection in the gas circulating conduit so that thegas being circulated will flow through the chamber in the upper end ofthe cylinder. The openings by which the cylinder' is connected in thegas circulating conduit are positioned out of alignment with each otherso that the path of movement of the gas will be changed as it travelsfrom one opening to another. This arrangement has been found effectiveto separate moisture out the gas being circulated which falls by gravityto the bottom of the chani= her where it contacts the dehydratingmaterial. Any lubricant deposited in the cylinder along with themoisture flows downwardly through the do hydrating material by gravityand out of an open ing provided in the bottom of the cylinder;- Theopening in the bottom of the cylinder is provided with a" conduit forreturning the lubricant to the refrigerant circulating system. Themoisture deposited in the cylinder is absorbed by the dehydratingmaterial and is thus prevented from being returned to the circulatingconduit. The opening in the bottom of the cylinder and itsconnectionwith the gas circulating conduit, in addition to providing forthe return of lubricant, is effective to prevent the formation of anypressure condition in the bottom of the cylinder which would otherwise"be effective to trap lubricant therein.

Other objects and advantages will become ap parent from the followingdescription.

In the drawing, the single figure illustrates diagrammatically a gasrefrigerating system having connected therein a drying apparatusconstructed in accordance with the principle of this invention, thedrying apparatus being shown in vertical section Referring to thedrawing, the numeral I designates'a compressor having a belt drive 2 fordri'v in itfrom a motor 3. The compressor l is provided with highpressure outlet and low pressure inlet openings (not shown) which areconnected respectively with delivery and return conduits 4 and 5. Theconduits 4 and 5 constitute part of a gas conduit or circulating systemby which the gas refrigerant is fed from the compressor torefri'g'erating coils 6 and returned to the compressor through thereturn conduit 5. The refrigerating system maybe any conventional systemin which gas is employed as the refrigerant and which is provided withconventional controls (not shown) commonly provided in such systems.

The apparatus for removing moisture from the refrigerant is indicated asa whole by the numeral 1 and is connected between the high pressureoutlet and low pressure inlet of the compressor l. The dryin apparatus 1comprises an elongated cylinder 8 having a closure cap 9 at its upperend and a closure cap ill at its lower end. The cylinder 8 with its caps9 and it constitute a container which is approximately half filled withdehydrating material ii. The dehydrating material H is preferablycalcium chloride although silica gel or other suitable dehydratingmaterials may be employed for the purposes of this invention. The uppersurface l2 of the dehydrating material i l defines the lower end of acompartment or unobstructed chamber l3 in the upper portion of thecylinder 8. The cap 9 is provided with a pair of openings [4 and i5. Theopening I4 is connected by a conduit l6 and the refrigerating coils 6 tothe high pressure conduit i. The opening is connected by a conduit ITwith the low pressure intake of the compressor l through the conduit 5.In this manner, gas being circulated through the system by thecompressor I is caused to flow through the chamber iii in the upperportion of the cylinder 8.

The openings i l and i5 are placed in positions out of alignment witheach other so that the direction of travel of the gas will be reversedin its movement through the chamber l3. In this manner, moisturecontained in the gas moving through the chamber 13 will be deposited inthe chamber l3 and will fall by gravity into the dehydrating material12.

The cap it at the lower end of the cylinder 8 isprovided with an openingit which is connected by a conduit iii to the return conduit 5 and thelow pressure side of the compressor l. The opening [8 and conduit [9 arefor the purpose of returning lubricant deposited in the container 8 tothe gas circulating system. Particles of lubricant which are depositedin the chamber l3 by the gas passing therethrough flow downwardly bygravity through the dehydrating material Ii. The particles of waterwhich aredeposited in the chamber it are prevented from passing to theopening I8 by the dehydrating material Ii which absorbs the moisture butpermits the oil to pass therethrough. In addition, the conduit I9 beingconnected with the conduit It prevents the formation of pressureconditions in the lower end of the container 3 which would otherwise beeffective to interfere with the flow of lubricant through thedehydrating material I I. When installing the cylinder, it is positionedwith its base vertically above the intake to the compressor so that anoil trap will not be formed between it and the compressor. As pointedout above, the, dehydrating material H is preferably calcium chloride ina granulated form so that the lubricant may flow by gravitytherethrough.

Any other dehydrating material may be employed which will permit the howof lubricant by gravity therethrough, and, for this purpose, a removablecartridge containing dehydrating material may be inserted in the lowerend of the cylinder 8 in place of dehydrating material in bull; form asillustrated.

In operation, the refrigerant gas upon leaving the cooling coils E flowsthrough the opening l4 into the chamber 13. In flowing through thechamber 53, its direction of travel is reversed as it passes through theoutlet opening it to the low pressure side of the compressor i. Moisturecontained in the gas is deposited in the chamber l3 and falls by gravityinto contact with the dehydrating material H which absorbs suchmoisture. Oil deposited in a similar manner in the chamber i3 flowsdownwardly by gravity through the dehydrating material H and out of thecylinder 3 through the opening 18, and is returned by the conduit l9 tothe gas circulating conduit 5.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that the device '1' is operativeto remove moisture from a gas refrigerant circulating conduit. Attentionis particularly directed to the fact that the removal of the moisture isaccomplished without passing the gas through any dehydrating materialand without any possibility of clogging the circulating system orpreventing movement of the gas through the compressor 8. Attention isalso particularly directed to the fact that the removal of the moistureis accomplished without removing the lubricant from the circulating gasand without interfering with the lubrication of the compressor l.

While I have illustrated and described one specific embodiment of myinvention, it will be understood that this is merely by way ofillustration, and that various changes and modifications may be madetherein within the contemplation of my invention and under the scope ofthe following claims.

I claim:

1. A drier for insertion in a gas refrigerant conduit having high andlow pressure ends comprising a container having an upper portion with afirst opening therein for connection to the high pressure end of theconduit and a second opening for connection to the low pressure end ofthe conduit, said openings being out of direct alignment so that the gaswill not travel in a direct line through said upper portion as it movesfrom said first to said second opening, a lower portion with a thirdopening therein for connection to said low pressure end through whichlubricant may return by gravity from said container to said conduit, andmoisture absorbing material in said lower portion for preventing theflow to said third opening of moisture separated out of gas flowing fromsaid first to said second opening.

2. Adrier for insertion in a gas refrigerant conduit .to remove moisturefrom gas flowing therethrough comprising a container having waterabsorbing material in its lower portion, its upper portion providing anunobstructed chamber through which gas may flow, said container having apair or" openings in said upper portion by which it may be connected insaid conduit so that the gas flowing through said conduit will flowthrough said chamber, said openings being in positions out of alignmentwith each other to reverse the direction of movement of the gas as itpasses through said chamber, the moisture deposited in said chamber bygas flowing there- ,through falling by gravity to said material forabsorption thereby, said container having an opening in its lowerportion through which lubricant deposited in said container by the gasmay drain by gravity, and a conduit connected with said opening forreturning the lubricant to said refrigerant conduit. 7

3. In refrigerating apparatus having a compressor with a high pressureoutlet and a low pressure intake for refrigerant gas, and arefrigerating system including a circulating conduit connecting thecompressor outlet with its intake, the invention which comprises adevice for re moving moisture from gas circulating through said conduitand including a container having a lower portion with moisture absorbingmaterial therein, an upper portion defining an unobstructed chamberabove said material, said upper portion having a pair of openings forconnection in said conduit to circulate the gas through said chamber,the moisture deposited in said chamber by the gas flowing by gravity tocontact said water absorbing material, said container having an openingin said bottom portion through which lubricant deposited in saidcontainer by the gas may flow by gravity.

4. In refrigerating apparatus having a compressor with a high pressureoutlet and a low pressure intake for refrigerant gas, and arefrigerating system including a circulating conduit connecting thecompressor outlet with its intake, the invention which comprises adevice for removing moisture from gas circulating through said conduitand including a container having a lower portion with moisture absorbingmaterial therein, an upper portion defining an unobstructed chamberabove said material, said upper portion having a pair of openings forconnection in said conduit to circulate the gas through said chamber,

5. Apparatus as claimed in claim 4 wherein said opening is positionedvertically above the compressor inlet so that the lubricant may returnto the compressor by gravity.

HARRY C. WAGNER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 320,308 Suckert June 16, 1885950,491 Nenzel Mar. 1, 1910 1,280,765 Kramer Oct. 8, 1918 1,443,435Rohrer Jan. 30, 1923 2,430,692 Touburg Nov. 11, 1947

